What does worshiped mean?
“Worshiped” is the simple past tense and past participle of worship. In its religious sense, it means that someone or something was treated with reverence, devotion, or homage, especially as a deity. In figurative use, worshiped describes intense admiration, sometimes suggesting that a person or thing has been idealized or treated almost like an idol. Before a noun, it can also function as a participial adjective, as in “a worshiped performer.” The word can therefore carry a strongly approving tone, but it may also imply excessive or unquestioning devotion. Worshiped is the usual one-p spelling in American English; one p is also used in British English, while worshipped with two p's is the most common British spelling. The verb appears in both literal statements about religious devotion and idiomatic descriptions of public enthusiasm: audiences may worship a performer, while a tradition may honor a figure regarded as sacred. Its history also reveals that religious worship was not its only original meaning.
To treat a deity, sacred object, person, or thing with reverence, devotion, or intense admiration; figuratively, to idolize.
"The congregation worshiped during the midnight service."
The form functions as both the simple past tense and the past participle of worship.
Regarded with reverence or intense admiration; adored or idolized.
"The novel presents its flawed protagonist as a worshiped hero."
This is a participial adjective normally used before a noun.
Worship began with the idea of worth: its Old English ancestor paired the word for “worth” with a suffix related to modern “-ship.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does worshiped come from?
Worshiped is the past tense and past participle of worship. The word descends from Old English weorþscipe, formed from weorþ, meaning “worth” or “honour,” and the suffix -scipe, which is related to modern -ship. The Old English term could express the honour or reverence accorded to a person or thing, and over time worship became especially associated with religious devotion.
Related word forms
How worshiped is actually used
Worshiped is the simple past tense and past participle of worship. Its religious sense is formal and devotional, while figurative use may be admiring but can imply excessive or unquestioning devotion. The one-p form is standard in American English; worshipped with two p's is the usual British spelling, although one-p spelling also occurs in British usage.
Easily confused with worshiped
Worshiped is a verb form describing an act of reverence, while a worshiper is the person who performs that act or habitually worships.